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Thousand Fortunes
The Thousand Fortunes comprised the pantheon of gods and divine spirits worshipped within Rokugan. Their worship was the basis of the dominant Rokugani religion known as kami no michi, or "way of the gods". There were the seven major deities (generally referred to as the "Seven Fortunes") often invoked by most people within Rokugan and a veritable legion of minor Fortunes and animistic place spirits. The most powerful of the deities, and the beings generally considered the leaders of the Rokugani pantheon and of the Fortunes, were the gods of the Sun and Moon whose identity changed over the course of Rokugani history. The Fortunes Sun and Moon * Amaterasu - The First Sun * Onnotangu - The First Moon * Yakamo - The Second Sun * Hitomi - The Second Moon * Jade Dragon - The Third Sun * Obsidian Dragon - The Third Moon Sun and Moon Deities in other pantheons * Shilah - The Sun god of the Burning Sands * Kaleel - The Moon god of the Burning Sands * The Bright Eye - The Naga Sun god * The Pale Eye - The Naga Moon god Fortunes Worshipping Before the Fall of the Kami, the tribes of humanity worshipped the Fortunes in a very primitive fashion. The Celestial beings did not really grasp the perceptions of mortals and did little to actually inform humans of what must be done, so religion was essentially a matter of trial and error. It would not be until the Kami appeared that the mortals would be instructed on proper worship. Imperial Histories 2, p. 49 The Seven Fortunes The Seven Fortunes existed before the Kami fell to Rokugan. The Tribe of Isawa worshipped them, and they in return protected the Tribe and kept the practice of blood magic, maho, safe. When the Kami Shiba saw the Seven were not wicked gods, he begged Hantei to beseech their mother Amaterasu to accept the Seven Fortunes among their pantheon and greet the Isawa as allies. She agreed, but only as long as the Seven Fortunes always watched over her mortal children of Rokugan. In spreading themselves over so wide a populace, the Fortunes could no longer keep the blood magic free of Jigoku's touch as they once had. Fires of the Hidden City, Part Two, by Rich Wulf The legends said the Seven Fortunes of Good Luck rode through the sky on a golden chariot that bestowed good luck on whoever saw it. Roleplaying in the Emerald Empire, p. 136 Other said they were inside a boat. City of Lies: Player's Guide, p. 33 The Fortunes had both a peaceful and a wrathful aspect. The peaceful aspect was that of a large, pleasantly smiling figure sitting on a pillow. The wrathful aspect was pictured with black skin, flaming eyes and fangs, often swinging a sword. The Seven Fortunes of Rokugan were: * Benten - Fortune of Romantic Love * Bishamon - Fortune of Strength * Daikoku - Fortune of Wealth * Ebisu - Fortune of Honest Work * Fukurokujin - Fortune of Wisdom and Mercy * Hotei - Fortune of Contentment * Jurojin - Fortune of Longevity In 1170 the Seven Fortunes supported the Jade Dragon and Obsidian Dragon when they challenged and defeated Yakamo, the second Lord Sun, and Hitomi, the second Lady Moon, replacing them as the third Sun and Moon deities, respectively. Scenes from the Empire VI, by Brian Yoon Minor Fortunes In addition to the Seven Fortunes, there were a large number of minor deities who carried out very specific duties within the Celestial Heavens and the Spirit Realms. Lesser Fortunes were invariably connected in some way to one of the Seven Fortunes, and it was believed the lesser Fortunes were created by the Seven to do their bidding or to embody certain aspects of their divinity. Way of the Open Hand, p. 42 Some of the most important of these minor Fortunes included: * Agashiko - Fortune of Simplicity and Reflection * Chagatai - Fortune of Yu, the Bushido Virtue of Courage * Ekibyogami - Fortune of Plague and Pestilence * Emma-O - Fortune of Death and Judge of the Dead, later sharing control of Meido with the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang * Gobai - Fortune of Balance * Goemon - Fortune of Heroes (Rumored to be Deceased) * Hachiman - Fortune of Battle * Hamanari - Fortune of Fish and Generous Meals * Hamanri - Fortune of Regency and Stability * Haruhiko - Fortune of Fishermen * Hiderigami - Fortune of Draught * Hikora - Fortune of Oak * Hofukushu - Fortune of Vengeance * Hujokuko - Fortune of Fertility * Inari - Fortune of Rice and Good Grain * Isora - Fortune of the Seashore * Jikoju - Fortune of the East Wind * Jizo - Fortune of Mercy * Jotei - Fortune of Morning Dew * Kamashi-okara - Fortune of Sorrow * Kaze-no-kami - Fortune of Wind * Kenro-ji-jin - Fortune of Soil * Kisada - Fortune of Persistence * Kobiru-Tadashiko - Fortune of Understanding * Kojin - Fortune of the Kitchen and Housewives * Komoku - Fortune of the West Wind * Ko-no-hama - Fortune of Flowers * Koshin - Fortune of Roads * Kurohito - Fortune of Perfection * Kuroshin - Fortune of Agriculture * Kyufoki - Fortune of Earthquakes * Megumi - Fortune of Heroic Guidance * Mikoto - Fortune of Ronin * Musubi-no-Kami - Fortune of Marriage * Muzaka - Fortune of Enigmas * Namaku - Fortune of Horses * Natsu-togumara - Fortune of Travel and Experience * Nagiroko-to - Fortune of Compassion and Forgiveness * Osano-Wo - Fortune of Fire and Thunder * Otemi - Fortune of Recovery * Sadahako - Fortune of Geisha and Artists * Saibankan - Fortune of Magistrates and Judges * Sengen - Fortune of Mount Sengen * Shi-Tien Yen-Wang - Death Lords, the ten original deities of the nomadic Ujik-hai tribes, currently sharing control of Meido with Emma-O * Sudaro - Fortune of Perseverance * Suitengu - Fortune of the Sea * Tamon - Fortune of the North Wind * Tenjin - Fortune of Writing and Literature * Toku - Fortune of Virtue * Toyouke-Omikami - Fortune of Grain * Tsugumu - Fortune of Secrets * Tsukune - Fortune of Rebirth * Uji - Fortune of Chugo * Uzume - Fortune of Dancing * Willow-Healing kami - A Tree spirit * Wu - Fortune of Sensei * Xing Guo - Fortune of Steel (Left Tengoku, wandering in Maigo no Musha) * Yama-no-kami - Fortune of Stone (Deceased) * Yojiro - Fortune of Gi * Yozo - Second Fortune of Vengeance (Deceased) * Zocho - Fortune of the South Wind Unnamed Minor Fortunes * Fortune of Cherry Blossoms * Fortune of Beetles (named by Hantei XVI) * Fortune of Dung (Tojo, named by Hantei XVI and forgotten) * Fortune of Irony (killed by Fu Leng, according to Daigotsu) Black Chrysanthemum, by Rich Wulf * Fortune of Knots * Fortune of Names (possibly Te'tik'kir, but unconfirmed) Glory of the Empire, Part II, by Rusty Priske and Nancy Sauer * Fortune of Redemption (possibly Kumoko, but unconfirmed) * Fortune of Torture (Kirako, named by Hantei XVI and forgotten) Dark Fortunes Dark Fortunes are those deities or spirits that embody the darker forces of reality. They are malevolent Fortunes who nonetheless are sometimes invoked by those mortals who desire to work ill upon their fellows or for other selfish reasons. *Daigotsu - Lord of Jigoku *Isawa Akuma - Dark Fortune of Power *Shahai - Dark Fortune of Blood *Susumu - Dark Fortune of Deception *Kyoso - Dark Fortune of Obsession See Also * Kami no michi Category:Fortunes